Torpedo retrieving snare



Sept. 24, 1968 J. HAFR|S 3,402,959

TORFEDO RETRIEVING SNARE Filed Jan. 13, 1.967

INVENTOR.

JACK HARRIS V. C. MULLER ROY MILLER ATTORNEYS.

United v States PatentiO 3,402,959 T ORPEDO RETRIEVING SNARE JackHarris, 5102 Bluejay Circle, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92646 FiledJan.'13, 1967, Ser'. No. 609,725 6 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A snare for attachment to a floating object, such as atorpedo, comprising a cable loop urged toward closed position by anextensible spring, and a removable pole having abutments for retainingthe spring compressed until the loop is disposed around the object.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to apparatus for recovering floating objects,such as torpedoes, which rise to the surface of the sea after a test orother run.

In the testing of torpedoes it is common practice to recover same at thesurface of the sea after the termination of a test run. The torpedo, ifbuoyant, rises to the surface after the run, and if nonbuoyant, ballastis dropped from it at the termination of the run, to render it buoyant.The floating torpedo may be located by helicopter which hovers over itand from which personnel attach the snare and a buoy, after which theentire apparatus is recovered by a surface ship.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a cable snare whichmay be attached to a torpedo from a helicopter.

Another object is to provide a pole for attaching the snare to a torpedowhich is readily removable from the snare after it is attached.

Still further objects, advantages, and salient features will becomeapparent from the description to follow, the appended claims, and theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the subject of the invention, portions beingbroken out;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 22, FIG. 1, portionsbeing broken out;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on line 33, FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line 44, FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an elevation, similar to a portion of FIG. 1, illustrating theinvention attached to a captured object.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention comprises a cable having aneye 12 secured to one of its ends, such as by swaging, and an eye 14 atits other end formed as a loop swaged to a sleeve 16. Prior to formingone of the eyes, an intermediate or bight portion of the cable isdisposed within eye 14. The cable is thus provided with a conventonalsnare loop 18, FIG. 1, which may be contracted by pulling end 10a, FIGS.2 and 3, through eye 14.

A compression spring 22 surrounds end 10a, one end abutting eye 12 andthe other abutting a washer 24 which abuts eye 14. As shown in FIGS. 1to 3, the spring is fully compressed and loop 18 is at its maximum sizewhich is somewhat larger than the object to be snared. FIG. 5illustrates the spring in its extended position with loop 18 engaging anobject 26.

The apparatus for retaining the spring compressed, and the snare loop atits maximum size, comprises a member 28 in which is milled an openchannel 30, having an abutment 32 at one end and a bifurcated abutment34 at the other end. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, eye 12 abuts3,402,959 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 abutment 32 and eye-14 abutsbifurcated abutment 34, the cable passing through an open .slot 36 inthe outer end of member-28. -A tube 38 surrounds cable. portion 10a,andprevents the spring from buckling which would tend to l ct it fromits compressed-position, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. s

Member 28 is provided with a threaded end 40 which engages a threadedplug 42 in one end of a tubular pole, formed of a plurality of section44, FIG. 1, which may be joined together in like manner.

A chain link 46 engages eye 12 to which is secured a nylon line 48, anintermediate portiOn passing through an eye 50, FIGS. 1 and 4, on springclips 52 which prevent the parts shown within channel 30 fromaccidentally moving out of same.

In operation, a helicopter hovers over the floating torpedo andpersonnel lower the pole and snare, to a position in which the opensnare surrounds the torpedo. The nylon buoy line 48 is then pulled whichremoves spring clips 52. The spring may then be released from itsabutments by jerking the pole, twisting it, or pulling on the buoy line.When so released, the snare loop closes on the torpedo as illustrated inFIG. 5 and the pole is withdrawn into the helicopter. A buoy (not shown)is then attached to an end of the buoy line and dropped into the waterwhich serves to locate the captured torpedo by a surface ship or toprevent it from sinking in case it should for any reason, such asflooding, later become negatively buoyant.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A snare comprising:

(a) a flexible line, such as a cable or the. like, having a first eye atone end through which an intermediate portionof the line is threaded toform a snare loop which may be passed over an end of an object to thecaptured,

(b) a second eye at the other end of the line,

(c) a compression spring surrounding the line and extending between thefirst and second eyes, operative to tighten the loop,

(d) a member for retaining the spring in compressed condition and inwhich the loop is larger than the object, whereby the loop may bereadily passed over same, said member having a first abutment againstwhich said first eye abuts and a second abutment against which saidsecond eye abuts, said abutments being so constructed to release saidmember from the line and spring when either abutment is moved away fromabutting relation with its abutting eye.

2. A snare in accordance with claim 1 wherein said member includes anelongated open channel, said abutments being disposed at opposite endsthereof, said channel housing said spring.

3. A snare in accordance with claim 2 including a removable spring clipengaging said member and preventing accidental movement of the springout of the channel.

4. A snare in accordance with claim 2 including a tube disposed withinthe spring for preventing it from buckling while disposed within thechannel.

5. A snare in accordance with claim 1 wherein said member forms the endportion of a pole.

6. A snare in accordance with claim 1 wherein said member includes anelongated open channel, said abutments being disposed at opposite endsthereof, said channel housing said spring, a tube disposed within thespring for preventing it from buckling while disposed within thechannel, said member forming the end portion of a pole, References Cited'a removable spring clip engaging-said'member'and"pre STATES"PAT'ENTSventing accidental movement of the spring out of the channel, a flexiblecord or the like having one end afiixed 2479196 8/1949 Anderson 43 87 tosaid second eye and an intermediate portion engaging 5 3,068,608 12/1962CPuntS said spring clip, its other end being accessible at the end3,319,609 5/1967 Plckar-d 119-453 of the pole remote from said member,said spring clip being removable from said member by 'tensioning theEVON Examine!- cord, the member and pole being removable as a unit fromI the line and spring by movement of the pole relative to m HORNSBYAmstant the line and spring. 7

